Within the coronary heart of Tokyo’s Shibuya district – between the youthful buzz of Harajuku and the neon blur of the Shibuya Scramble – TRUNK(HOTEL) CAT STREET provides a boutique hospitality expertise that’s as a lot about feeling good as it’s about doing good. Opened in 2017 with simply 15 visitor rooms, the resort redefines what it means to journey consciously, blurring the traces between luxurious, sustainability, and native connection.
Photograph: Courtesy of TRUNK(HOTEL) CAT STREET
From the second you step off the road and go underneath the limbs of a towering zelkova tree on the entrance, it’s clear this isn’t your typical Tokyo keep. The constructing’s charcoal facade and minimalist geometry disguise an inside that feels concurrently intimate and expansive. Furnishings made by Japanese artisans, recycled supplies given new life, and curated artworks that rotate alongside everlasting installations inform a narrative of considerate craftsmanship and quiet, however impactful, environmental stewardship. From the shampoo in your rest room to the recycled bikes parked out entrance, the resort’s guiding philosophy is embedded into all the things you see.
Photograph: Courtesy of TRUNK(HOTEL) CAT STREET
Designed to immerse friends in what the model calls “socializing” and “localization,” this keep layers which means into each element. The interiors, conceived by Jamo Associates, with architectural design by MOUNT FUJI ARCHITECTS STUDIO, replicate what they name “Tokyo Design” – a considerate mix of conventional craftsmanship and modern minimalism. Every visitor room is a singular expression, furnished with customized items and native paintings that honor each the heritage and way forward for Japanese design. No two rooms are the identical, so each go to seems like a singular expertise.
Facilities and supplies used all through the rooms are sourced from or impressed by Tokyo itself – together with iron manufacturing facility remnants become hangers and sanitary containers – including a refined however highly effective sense of narrative to the area.
This ethos extends to the minibar, the place you’ll discover hyper-local treats like Shibuya Beer and Shibuya Cola (a fizzy ode to the enduring crossing down the highway), and the communal lounge area, which doubles as a gallery-meets-living room.
A nod to locality continues into the konbini-concept store subsequent door, TRUNK(STORE), the place guests can choose up the identical mugs and tableware used within the resort – each bit made in collaboration with the Inexperienced Life 21 Challenge, utilizing crushed and repurposed dishware from eating places and faculties throughout Japan.
When starvation strikes, the resort’s on-site restaurant provides a full sensory eating expertise that feels extra like a home occasion than a proper affair. TRUNK (KITCHEN) leans into Japanese-Western fusion, with open-kitchen seating and a non-public chef’s desk the place you may dine simply steps away from the motion.
TRUNK’s model of hospitality goes deeper than mushy sheets and modern surfaces – it invitations you to contemplate how the areas we inhabit replicate the neighborhoods they’re a part of, and the way the smallest acts (like selecting native snacks or sipping from a repurposed ceramic mug) can contribute to one thing bigger.
Photograph: Courtesy of TRUNK(HOTEL) CAT STREET
What units this resort aside isn’t simply its model (although that definitely helps), however its skill to make staying in Tokyo really feel like connecting – to a neighborhood, to a tradition, to an ethos.
Photograph: Courtesy of TRUNK(HOTEL) CAT STREET
TRUNK(HOTEL) CAT STREET is much less in regards to the spectacle of journey and extra in regards to the subtleties – the main points that make a keep really feel private, purposeful, and rooted. It’s a uncommon place the place structure, tradition, and social duty coexist in concord, proper in the course of one of many busiest cities on the planet.
Photograph: Courtesy of TRUNK(HOTEL) CAT STREET
Photograph: Courtesy of TRUNK(HOTEL) CAT STREET
What: TRUNK(HOTEL) CAT STREET
The place: 5-31 Jingumae Shibuya-ku Tokyo 150-0001 Japan
How a lot: Rooms begin at roughly $422 per night time
Design attracts: This 15-room boutique resort provides a quiet retreat within the bustling space of Shibuya. The interiors, enhanced by rotating artwork installations and locally-sourced, eco-conscious supplies, create a serene, trendy sanctuary that celebrates each Tokyo’s vibrant tradition and its dedication to environmental stewardship.
Guide it: TRUNK(HOTEL) CAT STREET
Pictures by Maivy Tran, except in any other case famous.
